Kid Cudi is writing, directing and starring in a Basquiat film called Jean, and he says the movie is his love letter to the artist, the 80s and New York City.
Cudi announced the project on Wednesday, October 21, with an Instagram carousel showing him in character as Jean-Michel Basquiat, wearing a dreadlocked wig modeled after the painter’s signature look. The film is set to start shooting in 2027.
“For years people have asked me about playing Jean Michel Basquiat in a film,” Cudi wrote. “But no project actually came to be. This year, I finally said [expletive] it, ima write it myself.”
He made it clear the photos are just a first look. Cudi said he did a wardrobe test and had a wig made, adding, “this isnt the final just a rough, trust me we gon get it perfect.”
Cudi called writing about a real person a challenge, but one he welcomed. He said the script came from “a lot of research, books, talks with people that knew him.”
“This film will be a love letter to Jean, the 80s and NY city,” he wrote. “Jean has inspired me all through out my career, and it will be the biggest honor to tell his story in a way we haven’t seen before.”
Basquiat started out spray painting the SAMO tag around downtown Manhattan and became one of the most important painters of his generation. The Haitian and Puerto Rican artist came up in the East Village art and nightlife scene of the early 80s alongside Keith Haring, built a close friendship and collaboration with Andy Warhol, and died in 1988 at just 27 years old. His paintings now sell for tens of millions of dollars.
His life has been on screen before. Julian Schnabel’s 1996 film Basquiat starred Jeffrey Wright as the artist, with David Bowie playing Warhol. Earlier this year, a Netflix documentary led by Basquiat’s sisters, Lisane and Jeanine, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Jean will put the story in the hands of a Black artist who has spent his whole career saying Basquiat inspired him.
Directing Jean is one more step in Cudi’s move behind the camera. He is making his feature directing debut with Doe, which began production in Los Angeles earlier this year, and he is also set to direct the horror thriller Wrong Number, starring opposite Barbie Ferreira. On screen, he has built his acting résumé with roles in Ti West’s X, Don’t Look Up and Bill & Ted Face the Music.
No studio, distributor or release date has been announced for Jean yet.
